Entertainment

All the News You Might Have Missed From Mashable Connect

Mashable staffers and Mashable Connect attendees have just wrapped up an action-packed conference at Disney World. And amid all the rides, games and cocktails, there were actually a few interesting news stories that broke from the Connect stage.

Here's a quick roundup of headlines that represent the news from Connect in a nutshell. We've got compelling articles about design, marketing, startup strategy and more.

What you need to know: Christy Tanner, the general manager and executive vice president of TV Guide Digital, alluded to Ashton Kutcher’s new role at Two and a Half Men in her presentation on the Connect stage. We spoke to her after the presentation to get more insight into the potential impact Kutcher and his social fanbase could have on the show.

What you need to know: Gowalla’s story has been defined by a tech press fixated on a Foursquare-Gowalla rivalry that may be non-existent. Our startup reporter, Jenn Van Grove, takes a more meaningful look at Gowalla's strategy and roadmap, including how this LBS is thinking beyond the checkin.

The editorial team hard at work in the Connect Boardroom, alternatively known as the "Situation Room" or the "War Room."

What you need to know: During his onstage presentation, Ogilvy’s SVP of Global Strategy & Marketing, Rohit Bhargava, talked about a “believability crisis” for PR and marketing professionals. To counter this crisis, Bhargava spoke about what he calls Likeonomics, which “explains the new affinity economy where the most likeable people, ideas and organizations are the ones we believe in, buy from and get inspired by.”

What you need to know: Steve Rubel, EVP of Global Strategy and Insights for Edelman, took the stage to talk about how users are now looking to find validated sources within the mix of information overload. Peers are less trusted than they used to be, and consumers are looking to find more credible sources for online information.

What you need to know: From the Connect stage, Behance CEO Scott Belsky launched ProSite, an elegant and inexpensive tool for creatives of all kinds to build gorgeous, connected profile websites with a simple drag-and-drop interface. And if you think that's too good to be true, just wait until the company's API launches later this year.

What you need to know: Starting in June, Meetup will launch a tab for Facebook fan pages to help brands mobilize their followers via the more than 600-million-strong platform. With the app, a Facebook fan page administrator can declare a Worldwide Meetup Day directly from Facebook. The brand will not have a Meetup Everywhere page, nor will fans be required to navigate away from Facebook to sign up for or organize a Meetup.

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